A New Journey for a New Year

For over ten years, I’ve striven to separate rumors and conspiracies from the facts surrounding Pan Am Airways trip 229 from Alameda California to Hong Kong China. Working with Pan Am and military researchers, archivists and numerous librarians have netted long forgotten information and data. I am hopeful this mountain of new information will make this research effort the most complete to date of what really happened to the Hawaii Clipper.

After learning everything I could from the books, charts and photos, I made the personal journey to Micronesia. The interviews, stories and tours that followed literally changed my life and I learned to understand a group of people I never knew existed. I soon found admiration and respect for the kindness and grace of the Chuukese people, who without, this project may never had been initiated.

In the ship photo to the right, I remember feeling a bit like this beached vessel, I too was out of place. Why was I here and how could I find something that proved elusive to the others that came before me. What follows in these pages is the experience of that journey and why I stood next to this boat, both of us out of their element.

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4 Comments Add yours

InDepthSCUBA says:

June 25, 2012 at 6:04 PM

Thank you for the update. Getting anything accomplished in Truk is a chore and sometimes impossible due to cultural clashes.

I lived and worked in Truk 1993 through 1995. Having 1.) worked to keep the the S..S. Thorfinn provisioned. 2.) Worked with a government official to start a business in Moen. I get it.

I am an avid AE researcher. Since I learned of the Hawaii Clipper and have been wishing I could get back to Dublon to do exactly what you are doing. I need to track down your email I have some interesting and relevant pictures to share regarding the Japanese expedition in 1994 where they recovered remains and set their souls free in a Shinto Ceremony.

Good luck

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Diana D Balderrama says:

September 19, 2011 at 3:04 PM

I am the grandaughter of Jose Maria Sauceda and was very excited to see something finally happen, to where he might be coming home at last. Thank you so much!

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